Machine for cracking nuts



Aug'. 5 1924.

3 Sheng-sneer 1 R E woODsoN MACHINE FOR CRACKNG NUTS Filed Feb. 1a, isz?Aug. 5. 1924. 1,503,577

R. E. WOODSON MACHINE Fon iucxme NUTS Aug. 5 1924. 1,503,577

e R. E. wooDsoN MACHINE FOR CRACKING NUTS Filed Feb. 18, 1922 ssheets-sheet 5 @y KM/@ Patented Aug. 5, 1924.

PATENT oFFicE.

ROBERT ENWOODSON, OF WEBSTER GROVES, MISSOURI.

MACHINE FOR, CRACKING NUTS.

Application filed February 18, 1922. Serial No. 537,434.

lTo all whom t may Concern.'

Be it known that l, AROBERT E. WooDsoN, a citizen oi the United States,residing at the city of Webster Groves, county of St.

Louis and State of Missouri, have invented a certain new and usefulImprovement in Machines for Cracking Nuts, of which the 'following is afull, clear, and exact description, such as will enable others skilledin the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of thisapplication.

This invention relates to `new and useful improvements in machines forcracking nuts, and the objects of the invention are: to generallyimprove upon and simplifyl the construction of machines of the` classdescribed and to reduce to minimum the manufacturing as well as theoperating costs of the machine.

Further objects of my invention are to provide simple andeli'ectivekejecting mecha nism which will positively eject the nut fromthe cracking members, thereby eliminating sticking of thecracked nuts insaid cracking members and the resultant meshing of Vthe nuts and chokingup of the machine, and to lli -provide means Yfor blocking or closing.the open end ot the. receiving trough when in receiving position.

Still further objects of my invention are to iorm the nut engaging endsof the cracking members with centrally disposed longitudinal bores orrecesses whereby cracking pressure is applied at points concentric withthe axis of the nut. and spaced inwardly a suitable distance from theendsthereof instead ot to the. tips or ends of the nuts.

Further objects ot my invention are to provide suitable simple andeiricient means for adjusting the displaceable locking or thrustmember othe movable ,cracking member with respect to its actuating member; andto provide improved means for delivering the nuts from the hopper to thechute. Y 'l With these and other objects in View, my invention consistsin certain novel features of construction and arrangements'fof part-shereinafter more fully described; and claimed, and illustrated in theaccompanyina drawings, in whichl.-e Figure 1 is a top plan. View of themachine. '1

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same with the hopper in section.

Figure 3 is a vertical cross-section taken Online 3-.3 of'Figure 2.

Figure 4L is a vertical cross-section taken on line 4-40 -F igure 2. Y

Figure `5 is a ragmental longitudinal v` cross-section of the machinewith the cracking members in the'cra'cking position.

Figure 6 is a plan View of the nut receiving trough or channel memberwith the cracking members shown in cross-section.

Figure 7 is a; detail perspective view of the `projecting mechanism forthe stationary cracking member.

Figure 8 is a detail perspective view of .the stationary crackingmembers or jaws.

Figure 9 is a detail perspective view of the movable cracking membersand ejecting means therefor.

Figure 10r is a detail view of the mechanism used'toactuate the'movablejaw releasing means.

Figure 11 Ais; a horizontal cross-section through a -portion of thehoppershowing al chain and a nut carrier in position thereon.

Figure 12 is a vertical cross-section taken on lineR12-12 ofj-Figure 1.,j

Referringjbynumerals to the accompany-- ing drawings 10 indicates abedframe ot the machine, said b'edframehaving a bearing 11 at its frontend and vertically disposed extensions or brackets 12 and 14 at its rearend. Extension 12, which is comparatively long, rests onand issecured'to a base 15 formed integral with bedframe 10. An extension 111is fixed to andprojects upwardly from a longitudinal wall 16 formed onVone side of the bedframe 10. Bothv extensions 12 and 14 are' providedat their upper ends with horizontally alined bearings 17. Projectingfrom side walls 16`and Secured to extension 1.2 is a transverse portionor rear wall 16ain'which are secured in any suitable manner the rearends of a pair of stationary'cracking members vor jaws 18, the front 0rinner ends of which are concaved or recessed., as

indicate-d at 19.4 Each of these jaws is provided with 'anV axiallydisposed bore 18a with which communicates a groove 18b Verticallydisposed in 'its upper face.

vOppositely disposed'to jaws 18 and in axial alinementy therewith is apair of mov-'Y able cracking-jaws, or members 20, each of wliiehisrevtledwitb concave @racking mounted in a carriage 25. This carriage 25is slidably. arranged on bedtrame 10 by means of flanges 25a formed-oneach side of said carriage and occupying guideways 26 formed in thebedtrame l0. Plates 27 are` detachably secured to bedtraine 10 overhangthe guideways 26 and retain flanges 2'5a in position thereon. Slidablymounted in guideways 26 between stationary jaws 18 and movable jaw 270isar nutreceiving and positioning member 28 having a'y longitudinallydisposed channel or trough 28fh1 for each set of cracking jaws 18' and20, which trough is open at both ends so ais-toY receive the recessed'ends of said jaws. Y

The bridge or bar" 29 extends transversely across the frame l0 ata pointwhich is immediately above theA end of trough member 28 when the latter"is .in its Ii'ut receiving position, as shown in Figure l. This bar isspaced a sutlicientl distance above the guideways 26 to pe 1mit thecarriage 25 and jaws 2Ov to pass thereunder. Depending trom bar29' arepins 30 which extend downwardly a suitable distance so that when the nutreceiving member 28 is vin receiving position, `said pins occupytherespective forward ends or troughs or channels 28a and prevent thepassage of the nuts from said troughs through said open ends. rihesepins 30 are in alinement with grooves 28 ot the respective jaws 20, thuspermitting jaws 2O to he moved inwardly beyond the positions occupied bypins 30, as shown in Figure 5.

hopper 8l is secured to extensions l2 and 14 and operating thereinthrough suitable openings ormed in the bottom ofv the hopper are chains32 which engage sprocket wheels 34 carried by a shaft 35 journaled inbearings 17 and operate over grooved pulleys or rollers 36 journaledunder tension in bearings 37, which latter are fixed to base 15 below hoJoer 3l. This chain is arovided at suitable intervals with nut carriersor elevators 38, which, during the upward travel or chain 82 throughthehopper, carry the nuts ujiwardly'and periodically discharge `them singlyinto ar chute 39, the upper end or whicl- 1ests on bearings 17, and isSecured to hopper 3l.

Chute 89 slopes torwardlyand downwardly and its lower end rests on bar29 and is detachably secured inA position by means of bolts or' screws40 which are seated in brackets or angles 4l projecting upwardly frombar 29. The lower end ot chute' 39 is provided with discharge'openingswhich are located immediately"abevetroughs 28EL when' member 28' is initsfforwardor receiving po# siton.- 'Eire nur carriers' '58 bfurtad orslotted, as shown in Figure ll, to clear pins 42 which are carried bythe bottom wall of hopper 3l and project Within the openings termed insaid bottom wall and through which saidL nut carriers and chainsoperate. Pins 42 prevent nuts from falling outwardly from the hopperthrough said opening but offer no obstruction to the passage o'f chain82.! A; inger 44 is arranged in the upper portion ot each bottom wall ofchute k89 and projects inwardly into the opening through which chain 82and carriers 38operate during their downward or return movement. Theselingers positively dislodge the nuts from carriers 88 and prevent thenuts from passing outwardly fromv the chute through the chain opening. Y

Shaft' is'operated-by meansof a sprocket wheel 45' fixed to one endthereofA and a. sprocket chain 46' which passes over said wheel andengagesa smaller sprocket wheel 47 fixed to the outer end of shaft 48which latter is journaled in bearing' l1. The` opposite end ot shaft 48carries a large gear 49 meshing with a pinion 50 which is fixed toashaft 5l. This shaft is journaled in a bearing formed in the side wall'i6 of frame l0 and is driven by a motor 52 through suitable reductiongearing 54. Y

The outer end of carriage 25 is provided with bearings in which arejournaled shafts and 5G. Shaft 55 carries a bellcrank lever 57 one armof which projects rearwardlyl and is pivotally connected by means of aAwrist pin 57a to gear 49. This constitutes the operating connectionbetween the drive gear 49 and carriage 25 so that when gear 49 isactuated, wrist pin 57 is rotated about the or shaft 48 in the directionindicated by arrow in Figure 2, causing the carriage 25 and the jaws 2Ocarried thereby to reciprocate. Thel other arm or bellcranl 57 extendsupwardly and has pivotally mounted thereon a hearing 58 through whichslidably operates one end of rod- 59 provided on its extreme end withhead 60. The opposite end of this rod is pivotally connected to abearing blocl: 6l projecting upwardly from nut receiving member 28.

The other shaft 56 has tired thereon a pair of disks 62, there being adisl-r pro vide-d foreach jaw 20. These disks occupy positions' adjacentto the curved ends ofthe thrust members 64. which latter are pivotallyymounted on the outer end of each bar 24. j

A leaf spring fixed to a 'plate 66 which is' secured tothe top of'carriage 25 press-es each thrust member 64 downwardly against a bar 67which is adjustably heldin positionV on'car `iage 25 transversely undermem'- bers 64. rfhis bar is adjustable by means oie-screws? 68 whscrew-seated in carr1age25 and are provided with round heads whichoccupy semispherical recesses 67a formed in the underside of said bar.By adjusting screws 68 through suitable aper- 'tures formed in plate 67for that purpose,

The diameter of disk 62 is such that normally vthrust members 64 areoutv of engage- Y ment with said disk, in` which position they are heldby coiled springs 70 connected at;

one of their ends to a pin projecting from each bar 24 and having theirother ends anchored to pins projecting upwardly from carriage 25. When,however, carriage 25 has been .moved inwardly a sutlici'ent distancetocause jaws 2O to engage nuts therebetween and jaws 18, 'the tension ofsprings 70 is overcome and each bar 24 moves outwardly and causes thrustmember 64 to 'form operative contact with its corresponding disk 62.During this time, carriage 25 continues to move inwardly and thepressure exerted against the nut and the stationary jaw 18 throughthemediumeof jaw 20, bar 24, thrust member 64 and disk 62 crushes the shellof the nut..v Immediately afterthe crushing action takes place, thethrust member 64 is thrown out of operative engagement with disk62,thereby releasing bar24 and jaw 20 so that the ypressure, can nolonger be applied to the nut., The inner end o carriage 25 hasanoutwardly projecting. pin. 71 which, ,when carriage 25 moves inwardly,engages members 28- yand moves it out of itsre'ceiving positionrearwardly so that the cracked nut will be discharged downwardly onto anendless conveyor 72 which passes transversely thereunderthrough asuitable opening formed in the side wall of frame'lO.

When the nut isy discharged,` spring: 70y

lmovesbar 24 inwardly whereby thrust member 64 returns undertheinfluence of spring 65 to its operative position.` As thecarriage 25 isreciprocally operated in guideways 26 by means of bellcrank 57 andydrive gear 49,V

disks 62 are rotated, first in one directionr` vand then in the oppositedirection by means of a pinion74 fixed to one end of shaft 56 meshingwith 'a` stationary rack 75 fixed to saidv wall 16 of frame l0.

In order to positively eject the nuts from the stationary jaws, 18, aplate76, which is slidably mountedV on wall 16a by means of a screw 77,is provided on its inneror forward end with depending portions 7 6awhich operate in grooves 18b ofthe jaws18 and lmove outwardly past theconcave portions 19 vwhen plate 76 is actuated. To actuate plate k76 arod 78 having its rear end fixed to the rear depending portion of plateeX- tends forwardly through the machine and is provided on its forwardend with a roller 79 which is adapted to be engaged by a cam portion 8Ofixed to one side'of gears A49. The position of cam 8O on gear 49 withrespect to the pivotal :connection 57a of bellcra-nk 57 is such that thedepending portions 76a are moved forwardly and outwardly from jaws 18immediately after the cracking operation takes place.

,A coiled spring 81 arranged on the rear end of rod 78 and havingonelend pressing against the downwardly bent rear portion of plate 76and its opposite end resting against a wa-ll 16@L restores plate 7 6 androd 78 to ,their normal position immediately after'l cam 8O leavesroller 79. f Y

As the cracking operation takes place after movably jaws 2O moverearwardly past pins 30 which lie in the path of movement of said jawsand are designed to enter grooves 23 formed therein, it is obvious thatsaid pins during the return movement of the movably jaws 2O will serveas ejectors and will remove any parts cfa nut which ymay have becomelodged in said jaws.

In the operation of my device, hopper 31 is filled with nuts. From thishopper they are fedV singly at regular intervals by means of chainoperated carriers 38 to the chute 39 through Vwhich they descend intothe channels formed inthe member 28. Y Thev inward movement of" carriage25 causeseach nut'to be gripped between the-jaws` 18 and 20 and theshell thereof crushed by the pressure applied throughV the gear 49,.bellcrankif' 57 and disk 62- with which the respective thru-st member64` is brought into operative engagementy by the retrograde movement ofjaw 20. During this time, member 28 is moved rearwardly by means of pin71 carried by carriage 25so vthat when the nut is cracked, it will bedischarged onto conveyor 72. Upon the forward movement of carriage n 25and jaws 20,?pin 71is moved out of contact with member 28and the latterisf restored to its receiving position by the rocking movement ofthe-upper arm of bellcrank 57 which engages headV 60 of rod 59 and movesmember 28 forwardly through thev pivotal 'connection'61.- By raisingorlowering bar 67, the duration of operative contact between disk 62 andmember 64 can be `regulated so as tov release jaws 20 at the i crackedat a more uniform pressure.

What I claim is: e 1. In a nut cracking machine, a pair of crackingjaws, one of which is movable and the other stationary, ejecting meansmounted externally of said movable jaw and having a nut ejectingprojection operating in a groove formed in said stationary jaw, saidejecting means being operable in time relation with said movable jaw, anut receivingmember reciprocally mounted between said jaws, a stationarymember extending downwardly to close the open forward end of said nutreceiving member when the same is in receiving position, and actuatingmeans for said movable jaw and said ejecting means.

2. In a nut cracking machine, a pair oi' cracking jaws one of which isstationary and the other movable, 'means for actuating said movable jaw,ejectingrme'ans inonnted above said movable jaw and having anut-ejecting lip operating in a groove Jformed in said stationary jaw,said ejecting means being operable in time relation with said movablejaw, a nut receiving trough reciprocally mounted between said jaws,means adapted to occupy and close the open forward end of said troughwhile in nut receiving position, said movable jaw being provided with agroove adapted to co-operate with the last mentioned means, and meansfor actuating said trough. l

3. In a nut cracking machine, a bedframe, a stationary cracking jawiXe-d thereon, a carriage reciprocally mounted on said bedframe, amovable cracking jaw carried vby said carriage and opposing saidstationary jaw, means for releasing said movable jawr immediately afterthe cracking operation takes place, a nut receiving member co-operatingwith said jaws, a pin carried by the forward end of said carriage andadapted during the rearward movement thereof to engagea nut-receivingmember and move it out of receiving position and means for actuatingsaid carriage and adapted to restore' vsaid nut receiving member. Y

4. In a nut cracking machine, a stationary cracking jaw provided with alongitudinal groove, an opposing cracking jaw movable in co-operativerelation with said stationary jaw, a slidable member having an extensionwhich operates in the groove of said stationary cracking jaw anddesigned to ejectthe' nut 1rom said jaw, a driving member for actuatingsaid movable jaw, a vcam carried by said drivingmember and a rodconnected to said slidable member and operable by means of said cam.

5. In a nut cracking machine, a stationary cracking jaw provided withalongitudinal groove which terminates in the cracking end of said jaw,an opposing cracking jaw movable in 3o-operative relation with saidstationary jaw, a slidable member one end of which operates in saidgroove, a driving member for actuating 'said movable jaw,

between said jaws intime a cam on said driving member, a rod con nectedwith said slidable member and operable by the cam whereby the portion ofslidable member occupying said groove is moved into an ejectingposition, and means for restoring said slidable member to retractedposition.

6. In a nut cracking machine, a stationary cracking aw, an opposingcracking jaw movable into cracking relation therewith turn movement4 ofsaid movable jaw,y and ar nut receiving member reciprocally operablerelation with said movable 'i'. In a nut cracking machine, a stationarycracking jaw, a movable cracking jaw co-operating therewith, saidcracking jaws being provided near their ends .with longitudinallydisposed grooves, a slidable member provided with an extension adaptedto operate in the grooves of said lstationary jaw, a transverselyvdisposed stationary member adapted to operate in the groove of saidmovable jaw, means for actuating said slidable member whereby saidentensionmoves into an ejecting position with respect tosaid stationaryjaw, and means for actuating said movable whereby during the return orrestoring movement of the latter, said stationary member occupies anejecting position relative to said movable jaw. A

8. Ina nut cracking machine, a supporting frame, a stationary crackingjaw supported thereon, a reciprocating carriage mounted on said frame,an oppositely 4disposed cracking jaw yieldingly mounted on 'saidcarriage, a nut, receiving' member slidably mounted on said frame,between said jaws andadapted to bev retracted from its receivingposition during the inward movement of said movable *,j'aw,V an abutmentmemberl mounted on said carriage for, engaging and retracting said nutengaging member, and means for restoring said nut receiving member toits receiving position 9. In a nut cracking machine, a frame, astationary cracking jaw supported thereon,

Aa carriage reciprocally mounted on said frame, a bar yieldingly mountedin said carriage and provided with 'a cracking jaw on itsy inner end, athrust member pivotally mounted on the opposite endof said bar, arotatable member on said carriage adapted to be engaged byvsaid `thrustmember, a trough'slidably mounted on said frame between said crackingjaws, means on said carriage for miving- Sai-a, iii-@ugh from asreceiving position to a discharging position, a drive wheel, a'bellcrank pivotally mounted on said carriage and operatively connectedto said drive wheel, and operative connections between said drive andsaid bellcrank for restoring the trough to its receiving position. Y

l0. In a cracking machine, a frame, a stationary cracking jaw supportedthereon, a carriage reciprocally mounted on said frame, a bar slidablymounted in said carriage and provided at its inner end with a crackingjaw, a thrust memberV pivotally mounted on the opposite end of said bar,a spring for maintaining said thrust member in operative position, arotatable member on said carriage adapted to engage and displace saidthrust member, and a vertically adjustable plate mounted on saidcarriage for engaging the underside of said thrust member and regulatingthe operative position of said thrust member relative to said rotatablemember.

l1. In a nut cracking machine, a fra-me, a stationary cracking jawsupported thereon, a carriage reciprocally mounted on said frame,rotatable means journaled on said carriage, a cracking jaw slidablymounted in said carriage and designed to co-operate with said stationaryavv, a releasable member operatively connected to said slidable jaw andadapted to operatively engagesaid rotatable means when said movable jawis placed under compression, thereby causing said movable jaw to bereleased at a prede termined time, and a vertically movable meansadjustably mounted on said carriage and bearing against the underside ofthe releasable member for regulating the operative position of saidmember with respect to said rotatable means.

l2. In a nut cracking machine, a pair of co-operating cracking jaws, oneof which is 'movable andthe otherl stationary, each of said jaws beingformed with a concave cracking end and an axial bore or recess, therebyforming an annular sharp nut engaging edge whereby the cracking pressureis applied to the shell concentrically of the ends or tips oit' the nut,a nut receiving member operatively mounted between said jaws and adaptedto position the nuts in the proper alignment with the annular edges ofsaid cracking aws, said nut-receiving member being movable into a nutdischarging position, means for periodically delivering nuts to saidreceiving member, and means for actuating said movable jaw.

13. In a nut cracking machine, a pair of co-operating cracking jaws,yone of which is movable and the other stationary, each of said jawsbeing formed with a longitudinally disposed groove having one endterminating in the cracking end of the respective jaw, a movable memberhaving an extension which operates in the groove of the stationarycracking jaw, and is movable outwardly past the cracking end thereof, a

stationary ejecting member adapted to op? erate in the groove or themovable jaw, a nut receiving and discharging member cooperating withsaidV jaws, and means for periodically delivering nuts to said nutreceiving member.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aiiix my signature this 11th day ofFebruary, 1922.

ROBERT E. WO ODSON.

